| | | | |

Melt in Your Mouth Oven Cooked Brisket

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free!  Delicious, tender and freezer encouraged!!!  This is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!  This is part of my perfect high holiday meal!  With plenty of make ahead and freeze options…your dinner table this year will be a breeze! A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and freezer encouraged!!! This is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser! This is part of my perfect high holiday meal! With plenty of make ahead and freeze options...your dinner table this year will be a breeze!

As we speak, Jewish housewives all over the globe are getting out their finest china, their crispest table cloths and their oldest recipes; all in preparation for the Jewish high holidays.  And this year I have a super easy dinner plan for you.  Loaded with tons of freezer friendly dishes that are ridiculously delicious and incredibly easy to just heat up and plate!

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and freezer encouraged!!! This is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser! This is part of my perfect high holiday meal! With plenty of make ahead and freeze options...your dinner table this year will be a breeze!
It’s these holidays that bring me some of my fondest memories with my family.  Golden chicken soup with fluffy matzo balls, tart apples with sweet honey and the star of the dinner : the oh so magical, dreamy, melt in your mouth brisket.  Like many Jewish recipes, brisket gets its roots from the need to use up some of the least expensive pieces of meat and transform it into tender deliciousness.  As the brisket cooks low and slow, connective tissue breaks down, leaving a tender piece of smothered meat.

Growing up, my aunt always made the brisket in our family. Every year she tried a different recipe and every year her malnourished – looking niece (me) licked her plate clean… much to everyone’s surprise, oven cooked brisket was this picky eaters’ favorite dish.  It had become a ritual, I always came into the kitchen and tore off a piece of the sacred meat and my aunt always asked me,

” So Mila is it good?” And every year I nodded in agreement as I sloppily licked off the remains of the sauce off my lips.  My aunt’s brisket may not have been perfect, but it was hers and it was always good.

As an adult and a graduate of culinary school my love for oven cooked brisket remained the same.  I made hundreds of briskets throughout my career and I was constantly searching for my recipe.  I wanted a recipe of my very own.  And I tried… I made smoked briskets, crock pot briskets, oven cooked briskets, French style briskets and the very worst, dry brisket.  I took an idea or two from each recipe and moved on to create my brisket. This has become my no fuss no muss brisket recipe that I go to year after year.

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

The Brisket Technique

If there is anything I have learned from the hundreds of briskets I have made over the years, the technique is one of the most important aspects.  Go slow.  Lower temperature, slower cooking.  This will allow the connective tissue to break down and the fat to melt slowly, leaving you with that ultimate melt in your mouth brisket.

There must also always be an acidic component.  I use both tomato acid (ketchup) and wine to allow for a deeper and richer flavor in the meat and the sauce.

The best thing about this brisket is that it is one pan and FREEZER ENCOURAGED.  Make it ahead of time.  Freeze it.  And let it warm up in a 350-degree oven the day of service.  It will be perfection.  Something magical happens when you  freeze foods like brisket or my amazeballs this to happen to food.  It just works!  And it could not be easier!

You can also do it in the Instant Pot, if you have a smaller brisket. The recipe could not be easier and it is always a hit!

Meet your new weeknight dinner best friend! This Instapot brisket is done in one hour, including a heavenly sauce loaded with savory flavors! Forget the 6 hours of cooking time and enjoy a tender and juicy brisket on any weeknight!
This is my Instant Pot Brisket and it is fantastic for a smaller brisket!

This is a brisket.  A HUGE one.  I have 16 people coming over.  I always get my brisket from my favorite meat guys Second City Prime.  It is always clean and they have my very favorite.. WAYGU!  I like to use foil pans for this because I hate cleaning roasting pans…as do you I am sure. Plus since I end up freezing it anyhow, it makes more sense to just do it in ONE PAN.

When you purchase your brisket.  Do not purchase it cleaned.  Purchase it whole with the fat still on it.  And place the fat side UP when roasting.  NOT DOWN.

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Now combine your ketchup, dehydrated onion, garlic, chicken base, wine and water in a bowl.  Mix it all up to combine.

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Now slather it onto EVERY nook and cranny.  Massage your brisket.  Making sure to cover it all over. Now you have two options, if you have time to marinade for 24 hours…please do so! Just cover it and place in the fridge for 24 hours or at the very least overnight. But if do not, you can throw your carrots and onions right over it and cook it as is! 

Before roasting, roughly chop your carrots and onions.  You want nice, large chunks.  I had some gorgeous multicolored carrots leftover so I used that. Throw the veggies on top and also nestle them in between for good measure.  You want the liquid to cover almost all the way to the top.

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Cover with foil tightly and place into a 350-degree oven for the next 3-4 hours or so.  I like to flip my brisket half way into the cooking time that way both sides cook evenly.  The ultimate test of course is the fork test.  You want it to be nice and tender.  For our family…I know it is perfect when the ends are easily falling off.  That means the center has a more meaty texture.  But again, that’s how my family rolls 🙂 
 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

I always make mine weeks ahead of time.  So these next few steps are crucial.  Take the whole pan and place it into the fridge over night or for a few hours until it cools completely and fat solidifies.

(Ignore the little yellow specs, I was making some rice and a few sprinkles made their way into the pan. )

See all that orangy looking goup around the meat?  That’s fat.  And you do not need it.  It will make your sauce greasy.

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Just take a spoon and lift up the fat.  It will come off easily.  And it’s kind of fun.

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Now we slice.  This is a VERY important step.  If you slice the brisket with the grain, you can forget about that gorgeous melt in your mouth brisket.  You need to cut AGAINST the grain, just like with my flank steak.  That way you will get perfectly beautiful slices.  This is also why we chilled it first.  Not only is it easier to remove the fat, but it is much easier to cut the meat when it is cold.

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Using a sharp knife we are going to be cutting AGAINST the grain.  Make you use the length of the knife instead of sawing through the meat with short motions.

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

And now we place it into the pan…FAT SIDE DOWN.  Because when you reheat your brisket…it is better fat side down.

At this point, I cover my brisket back up…and stick it in the freezer until it’s time to cook it!

This year I made it 2 weeks in advance.  Again…16 hungry Russians and a Russian style dinner is not an easy task.  I take all the precooking help I can get 🙂

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Reheat it in a 350-degree oven, covered for about 40-45 minutes.  And serve.

I promise people will rave…

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Plates will be licked clean…

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and freezer encouraged!!! This is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser! This is part of my perfect high holiday meal! With plenty of make ahead and freeze options...your dinner table this year will be a breeze!
And eager fingers will try and get a slice in before you do 🙂

That’s hubby’s finger…trying to finagle its way in…
 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser! And you will be the ultimate host 🙂  With a few less dishes to clean.
Perhaps this time.. I will even get a chance to sit down and have a slice 🙂

 A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and fall off the bone this is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Melt in Your Mouth Oven Cooked Brisket

Melt in Your Mouth Oven Cooked Brisket


  • Author: Mila Furman
  • Total Time: 490 minutes
  • Yield: 10 ppl 1x

Description

A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free! Delicious, tender and freezer encouraged!!! This is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser! This is part of my perfect high holiday meal! With plenty of make ahead and freeze options…your dinner table this year will be a breeze! : Meat, Entree Cuisine: Ashkenazi Author: Mila Furman


Ingredients

Scale
  • 78 pounds of brisket
  • 1 bottle of ketchup
  • 1 1/2 cups of dry red wine
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1.5 tbsp chicken base (I find it milder than beef base)
  • 1/4 cup dehydrated onion flakes
  • 6 cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)
  • 2 onions (roughly chopped)
  • 6 large carrots (cut into large chunks)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine ketchup, water, dehydrated onion, garlic, wine and chicken base and mix to combine.
  2. Slather this beautiful mixture onto the brisket sneaking it into each nook and cranny.
  3. If you have time let stand in refrigerator for 24 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350-degrees and place remaining ingredients over brisket in a tightly sealed roasting pan into the oven.
  5. Cook for 3-4 hours. Typically the rule of thumb is an hour a pound. But the true test is when it pulls apart with two forks..
  6. Place in refrigerator over night to cool.
  7. Remove fat and cut against the grain NOT with the grain.
  8. Place sauce over sliced meat and put into 350- degree oven to warm the meat and sauce.

Notes

The nutritional information is to be used for information purposes only.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 480 minutes
  • Category: brisket, dinner, freezer friendly, One pan
  • Cuisine: Ashkenazi, Jewish, Russian
A simple and mouthwatering oven cooked brisket that is truly fuss free!  Delicious, tender and FREEZER ENCOURAGED! This is the ULITMATE crowd pleaser

Similar Posts

273 Comments

  1. You really make it appear so easy together with your presentation but I find this matter to be really one thing which I think I’d never understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely wide for me. I’m having a look forward in your subsequent submit, I will attempt to get the cling of it!

      1. What size bottle of ketchup do you use? And can I use sliced onions instead of dehydrated ones? Your recipe sounds delicious .

    1. Hi Mila
      I made this for Rosh Hashanah. This is the first brisket I made early and froze. It turned out great! Everyone loved it!

      I am making another one tomorrow and freezing it for Sukkota

      Thanks for a great recipe!

      Jonathan

      1. Jonathon, what kind words!!! Thank you so much I am so glad it was a win!!! I hope you have a wonderful Yom Kippur 🙂

      2. I made this & the cooking method is helpful & informative. The meat turned out tender, but, the sauce tastes like We are eating a bottle of Heinz 57 ketchup!. After reading the comments, it may be because I used a slow cooker. It completely drowns out the flavor of the meat & overpowered the entire meal. I will try the same cooking methods with a slightly different marinade & use the oven. I might use some tomato but won’t use as much prepared Ketchup. If you enjoy ketchup, you’ll love this recipe! It reminded me of a meatloaf of my childhood from the Heinz 57 cookbook.

        “57 Prize Winning Recipes from H.J. Heinz Company –
        Vintage Recipe Book c. 1957 – Cook With Ketchup Contest – Comical Illustrated Cook Book” (available on Etsy.)

        My family & I liked the meat as long as we remove as much of the marinade/ sauce, as possible. I will definitely use this method again & tweak the marinade to suit our taste. I love the idea of preparing ahead of time & freezing! I normally smoke brisket, but I have a GIANT brisket in my freezer for Christmas that won’t fit in my smoker and have been cooking smaller briskets with various oven recipes to decide on one before I cook that bad boy! Thank you for sharing & your fantastic description!

      1. Sure! I just happen to love the flavor that the dehydrated onions give it…it’s almost a bit more powerful.

    1. Hi Mika, I got my answer to the ketchup amount. I looked at your wonderful reviews and found the answer, 14 ounces. I’m making this tomorrow. It sounds wonderful. Thank you!

  2. Hi Mila,
    Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I made your brisket for the fist time and it was a huge success at my Rosh Hashanah table tonight. It really does melt in your mouth. I love how you post step by step instruction, it is makes the whole process much easier. Looking forward to more recipes on your blog.

    Tanya

    1. You sure can…but remember a lot of what we read about MSG is speculation. MSG in tiny quantities is not bad. But you can absolutely use homemade stock!

  3. First brisket Ever ! Thanks Mila, our Jewish New Year dinner was dee-lish. So easy & so succulent. My family knows brisket, the pressure was on. Victory! Thank you for a recipe I will happily cook again-

  4. This is soooo delicious looking. I don’t blame your husband for trying to sneak a piece! Thank you so much for all the great tips on cooking brisket – I need all the help I can get. :p

    Thanks so much for sharing this at Savoring Saturdays! I can’t wait to see what you share this weekend!

    1. I had it this weekend for Yom Kippur and it was absolutely amazing. Truly better after it’s been frozen and defrosted in the oven.

  5. Made this for Christmas. I cooked mine for a bit over 7 hours. I think it was too long because it was kind of falling apart as I sliced it. Very delicious and tender, but I will check it a bit earlier next time. Thank you for the delicious recipe!

    1. Sometimes I find it depends on the quality of the meat. When it’s super fresh it tends to cook a bit faster…plus oven often vary 🙂 Perfect for BBQ brisket sammies the next day though 🙂 Have a very happy new year!

  6. My first attempt at brisket last year was a flop. I am going to try this one this year. Fingers crossed. How many pounds do you think would be enough for 6-8 people? I tend to make too much food all the time…

    1. I would stick with the 7-8 pounds maybe up it to 10…it all depends if you are also serving any other proteins. I serve quite a bit of food as well as my brisket. HOWEVER, that being said, this freezes so easily, go ahead and have leftovers! It is still perfect in months! Trust me! I just defrosted some that I had from Yom Kippur! And it was awesome 🙂 Please do come back and let me know how it goes!

      1. The briskit turned out great and was a huge hit! Forty five minutes was not long enough to reheat it. It cooked for over two hours and then I had to microwave it. It was still the best I have ever had!

        1. Debbie!!! So glad it turned out so great for you! I may have a super powerful oven 🙂 but really glad it was a hit! And thank you for coming back and giving me feedback!

  7. Hi Mila!
    I just found this recipe and it looks AMAZING, so I’m going to give it a try!
    I have a couple questions since I’m very new to cooking…
    I’m making this dish for a much smaller group (4 people), so how do I cut down the ingredients?
    Also- my fam doesn’t like carrots nor onions (unfortunate right?!) so is there any other veggies you recommend I substitute with?
    Thank you so much, your page is lovely! Chag Sameach!

    1. I am so glad you found me Nitzan 🙂 So for your first question:
      1. I do not think you will be able to find a much smaller brisket than 6 pounds anyhow, and to be honest you do not want it much smaller than that because you can run into the risk of it shrinking and drying out too much. Remember a lot of that weight is fat, which melts off. Plus you can freeze the rest as it freezes absolutely wonderfully. If you are getting about a 6 pound brisket I would just half the recipe 🙂
      2. In terms of the onion and carrots…they will never know they are in there! Promise! All you have to do is PUREE the sauce after it’s done cooking. The flavor profile that the carrots and onions give is irreplaceable. You can also do shallots instead of onions, add turnips, parsnips, leeks and parsley roots. But my recommendation is to just puree the sauce and don’t tell them what’s in it…chances are they will never know 🙂
      Chag Sameach to you and your family and please do come back and let me know how it turned out!

      1. I found this brisket recipe a few years ago and make it a few times a year for upwards of 50 people. They all love it and love the sauce. After all is done, I use the immesion blender and puree everything. If it tastes too much like ketchup, I would add some chicken broth and herbs to. Also made it for home once and used green pepper and onion and served them with it. It tasted a lot like swiss steak! I also use this recipe and make it with brown gravy and add mushrooms to the sauce (at the end) and add a tiny bit or horseradish!! All is fabulous!

  8. Hi Mila
    I am about to make this for the 3rd time. This had to be the most delicious and melt in your mouth brisket I have ever had in my whole life! And it’s really very simple too! I shared it the first time with my son. I gave him half to take home and now he keeps asking me when I’m going to make it again lol
    This time though Im keeping a little more for myself!
    Thank you for sharing this recipe!

    1. Susan thank you so much for your warm words and compliments! This made my night! I’m so glad it worked out for you and the family! Thank you for sharing my recipe with your family!!! Much love to you!!!

  9. Talk about some serious flavors going on here! I just love a melt-in-your-mouth brisket and so does the rest of my family! This will be perfect for the upcoming holidays! Got a quick question for you. When I buy a brisket, it generally has a really thick layer of fat across one entire side. Should I leave it alone? Or trim some of it away?

    1. Def trim some away… Not all though… You need that fat! And sometimes you can buy it already trimmed… DONT! It’s so much better to do it yourself!

  10. Hello Mila! Shana Tova!
    I had no idea that brisket cooked like this was Jewish. It sounds just delicious cooked with those lovely flavours (a bottle of ketchup! Yay, love it!) I’ve never been very good at cooking meat, but my favourite way to eat it is slow-cooked – gotta try this this winter! 🙂

    1. Thank you Helen!!! You know the funny thing… My grandma and mom never knew about it either… My aunt introduced them to it when we moved to America. I guess it’s an Ashkenazi Jew thing except it was Americanized 🙂 I do hope you try it 😉 my mother in law is a huge fan .. Which means I have succeeded 😉

    1. A www Ange! Thanks for the kind words about my story 🙂 always nice to hear when someone is actually reading my ramblings 🙂

  11. Brisket and I have a love/hate relationship .. I love IT and IT hates me. I have destroyed my pounds of brisket than I care to admit. Your recipe is awesome! The meat looks juicy and the pics are fabulous! I can’t wait to try this!!

  12. Hi Mila. I am getting ready to make this for Hanukkah. We are having 20 people for dinner and Brisket is the only protein… should I double the recipe?

  13. I made this for Christmas Eve dinner last night for 40 people. I purchased a 15 pound vacuum sealed brisket from Smart & Final on Sunday and slathered it with marinade, untrimmed. On tuesday I put it in the oven. At 6 hours it failed the fork test. At 8 hours it was fork tender. After cooling for 2 hours I poured off the juice into 2 large containers, set aside the veg, and refrigerated the meat , veg, and juice separately. On Wednesday I removed the hardened fat from the juice and boiled it down from 2 quarts to about 4 cups. I pureed the veg with some of the juice and stirred it back into the remaining juice, making a lovely slightly thickened gravy. I removed all the fat from the cold brisket and since mine was 2 muscles, separated the two, sliced, and artfully placed into 2 oven safe baking dishes. On thursday, an hour before dinner, I poured the gravy over the two dishes of meat, covered with foil, and placed in the 350 oven for 45 minutes till hot (not quite ready at 30 minutes). It was a HUGE hit–melt in your mouth tender and delicious!
    I’d been looking for something festive and low fuss to feed a crowd and had already made my usual feed-a-crowd dishes for Thanksgiving. This was perfect! Thanks for doing all the hard work and perfecting the recipe! My not-Jewish, Chinese American family loved it!

    1. OMG what an amazing comment to read!!! Thank you so much for the warm words and the detailed review!!! I am so glad it worked for your family!!! Happy New Year to you!

      1. I just now pulled a 15 pound brisket out of my oven. This is my third time making your recipe–I’m freezing for Christmas dinner next week! I made it over the summer when I hosted a retirement party for 80 people–the ability to make this ahead of time and freeze was essential! Thanks for a great recipe.

        1. Emily…awww you just totally warmed my heart!!! I am so glad that it worked out for you over and over again!!! I am beyond thrilled! Thank you for coming back and telling me!! Have a wonderful holiday season!

    2. this recipe looks great. I also wondered about the cooking length. The recipe says 3-4 hours for a 7-8 lb roast but then an hour per pound. I have a 7 lb roast and will begin checking it at 3 hours but will be prepared to cook longer if it doesn’t pass the fork test. Anyone else have experience with cooking times?

      1. With brisket…it always depends on the oven and the brisket. As I say in the recipe…taste and site is always the best way

  14. Hi, Mila, this brisket sounds delicious and not that hard to pull it off. I’d like to try it for Passover’s first seder this year, but, how can I replace the wine in the recipe? Maybe with more chicken stock? Thanks!

    1. You can replace it with beef stop but the wine really adds an incredible flavor! I would also add in more veggies so that it balances out some of the flavor that you would be missing from the wine. If you are concerned about the alcohol content, the alcohol will burn off and you will just be left with a deep flavor from the wine 🙂 Please let me know how it turns out or if you have any other questions!!!

  15. Thanks for reposting this on FB, Mila. I’ll make this for Passover next week, subbing plain tomato sauce and Manischewitz wine. I’ve don a similar one with onion soup mix. The difference in yours is marinating first. I’ll report back after my Seder!

        1. My Mila Furman Seder, with your chicken soup and this brisket, was crowned my best ever, dear Mila! I have had poor results from brisket in the past, because I cut off too much fat. (My dad hated “ungekocht”–overcooked–meat so we never had brisket or pot roast in our house, only rare roast beef. So Mom never made anything of the sort.) Your long and slow technique was fabulous. And my substitutions worked out perfectly–just a hint of sweetness. I always puree my veggies in the sauce (except for some of the lions, which I sliced instead of chunking), which makes a wonderful gravy. Everyone wanted the recipe, so I send them the link. I also used your garlic pan roasted chicken as inspiration for an oven-roasted dish. The only bad news: After sending everyone home with leftovers, I barely had enough left for a meal for two!

          1. Oh my darling Marlene… I am so humbled that a woman with all your years of experience in the kitchen has used not 1 but 2 of my recipes for the Sedar. I am so thrilled the brisket worked out!!! The funny thing…my dad was the opposite…he cannot handle blood in his meat so we always had lots of Russian style pot roasts and other stews. But we never had brisket until we came to the states and my aunt showed it to us for the Jewish holidays. Well at least the brisket is easy enough that you can make it again and and then freeze so no one can take away your leftovers 🙂 Happy Passover my dear 🙂

  16. I couldn’t get that much brisket in one piece. If I have 2 smaller ones equalling 7 lbs does it change any of the cooking times?

  17. I totally choked and cooked the brisket with the fatty side down. I have since sliced and frozen it. Can I reheat it with the fatty side up? And will 45 min at 350 be sufficient? Help!

  18. Hi, how much brisket do you think I would need to make for 75 people? I am using the brisket for small sandwiches. It is for my son’s Bar Mitzvah and I plan to have a nacho cheese bar with all types of peppers, salad and watermelon. I really like the idea of making this in advance so I can reheat on the day of and its done. I also like that you made it in the aluminum roasters because I was wondering about that. Any help would be appreciated.

  19. This brisket looks DIVINE, Mila. I can’t wait to try it – perfect fall comfort food. And thank you for all of your work with the step by step process too!

    1. Ahhh thank you honey! I love doing step by step photos…must be that part of me that always wanted to be a teacher 🙂

  20. Mila – I just made brisket using your recipe for Rosh Hashanah. It melted in my mouth. I am originally from Ukraine and my mom said she hasn’t had brisket that good since her mom made it. THANK YOU!!!

    1. Omg! Thank you for writing this!!! Literally crying! What a sweet comment !!!! Making moms and babushkas happy is my favorite comment!!!! Happy new year darling! Thanks again for this comment! Made my day!

  21. Hi Mila,

    Recipe looks great. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow : )

    Have a question about the cut of brisket? I’ve read about 1st and 2nd cuts – with 2nd cut being better because of the fat. You mention to get a whole brisket – is that the first and second cut? is that called a whole “packer” brisket?

    Thanks!!

    1. HI David!!! Thank you so much for the warm words! There is a large, fatty, delicious cross-section of brisket called the “point” or “deckle” that runs across the bottom of the fat cap of the brisket flat. The point is elemental in cooking the most amazing brisket you’ve ever had. A brisket with both the point and the flat is referred to as a full packer brisket in the BBQ world and typically weighs between 12-16 lbs. I always buy the point cut if I could. Because then I can remove all the fat that I want. Have a wonderful holiday and let me know how else I can help!

  22. OK, Have it in the marinade and just put in the fridge… So looking forward to this. Briskets were on sale for Passover so had to go for it. Mine is tiny compared to yours…I live alone. So I reduced quantity of marinade but tried to keep proportions. I was afraid mine was trimmed of fat, but they had put it on the tray fat side down…whew…I rarely freeze cooked food, as I do not find it tastes better after. …so if this one does? Win-win! I will freeze it in portions…

    I liked that you explained technique. I find this is where most recipes are lacking- even from professional chefs, and this is where you go -huh? why didn’t that come out as good as I was expecting? Thanks!

    1. Cynthia! Honestly as long as the proportions are similar you will he golden! I think
      It will be fabulous!!!! Let me know how it turns out please!!!

  23. We are making the brisket one day before the Seder. What’s the best way to reheat it if it’ll be refrigerated overnight?

  24. Hi, I’ve just put together the marinade and wondering if the wine goes in now, or tomorrow when it’s going into the oven? Thanks!

  25. Hi,

    Just made this for Rosh hashanah. O M G soooo good! Multiple guests raved it was the best brisket they ever had! It was sooooo soft and flavorful. Two comments: 1. We are not the bests cooks so if turned out that great for us then anyone can do it! 2. We did need to double the time to heat it up when serving. It was still very cold after the suggested time. Thank you again!!!!

  26. Hi there! This recipe looks so delicious and I’m eager to make it!! 2 questions:
    Is it ok to put it into the fridge to cool down right after being in the oven? I always thought you had to let food cool down first.
    Also, when you go to reheat the brisket the day of… what sauce are you adding on top?
    Thank you!

    1. Hi Alex, just let it cool a bit. It’s just not good for the fridge 🙂
      The sauce is the braising liquid 🙂 happy holidays!!!

    1. Hi Lee! I usually leave it Whole when freezing. But as long as it’s covered in the sauce when frozen you can slice it… if it’s reheated covered in sauce it won’t dry out. As for how much brisket you need, it depends on if it’s the only main course or how big of meat eaters your diners are. Typically it’s 1.5 pounds of meat per person on the higher end .

  27. Hi!
    Sorry for the dumb question but I am not sure what you mean by chicken base. Do you mean something like Better than Bouillion? So it would be 1.5 Tbsp of the powdered cube? Or are you referring to actual liquid chicken stock? I just found your site and am looking forward to trying some recipes.

    Thanks!
    Elisa

    1. Hi Elisa yes that’s exactly what I use!!! Better than Bouillion 🙂 thanks for commenting! Please let me know how it turns out!

  28. At what point do you cut off the fat? I didn’t cut it off. Now it’s sliced and in the freezer so I guess I have to serve it with the fat on. I probably should have trimmed the fat before flipping it to fat side down.

    1. Barbara, my apologies this went to trash! You could trim the fat right before serving. Im sure it still tasted delicious!!!

  29. Hi Mila!! For brisket is it possible to do without freezing step? I have to have this done for Friday night dinner so that means tomorrow night it marinates over night and then all i have is Friday day to get it done 🙂

      1. Thank you! So that means you just skim fat off right when you take it out of the oven, then cut and serve?

  30. Hi Mila, what a great website! I have a small question- is the freezing step required? The Seder is tomorrow night (I’m from Israel) and found your recipe only now… so i won’t have time to freeze and re-heat the meat. . Thank you!

  31. Hi Mila, found your recipe today, already marinating meat overnight to cook tomorrow. No time to freeze 🙁 I will need oven for about 1.5 hours to make other dishes. If I cook meat first since it takes such a long time, what is the best way to keep it warm? Or should I let it cool, cut of fat, slice and reheat right before serving? Thank you!

    1. Do not keep it warm! It will dry out. Give it plenty of time to cool, trim the fat and then warm up before serving 🙂

  32. My family’s new mantra: Magic Happens In The Freezer -which is sooo true!
    My husband actually put the whole brisket together (“You make me watch so many cooking shows- I want to cook!) under my watchful eye and we froze after slicing, even though it probably could have used an additional hour or so.
    I took it out the day before Passover, let it mainly thaw in the frig, then into the crock pot on the day of, to slightly cook on low, then stay warm … and WOWZER!!! It melts in your mouth; 20 people at my house were in love. This is my go to recipe forever.
    Thank you so much! MWAH!!!!

  33. Hi!
    I’d loved to make this recipe for Shavous! I just had one question, (hope it doesn’t sound silly 😉 )
    hat size bottle of ketchup are you using in the recipe?

    Thanks so much!

        1. Hi. I. Trying this for the holiday, is there a different cook time for grass-fed brisket. It’s leaner so do I reduce the cooking time?

          1. I would honestly just try it out at 5 hours. The best way to gage is When it pulls apart with 2 forks 😉

  34. Oh no!! I put the wine on the marinade first and now my husband says it tastes a little vinegary. I don’t eat meat so i can’t taste it. Should I throw it out & start again…or is theee a way to salvage? I’m so upset!!

          1. Red wine. Marinade for 24 hours then cooked for 7…husband said he tastes vinegar. Because I don’t eat it I’m going to need help!!MOM!!!

  35. Just had a dinner party where I served my first brisket ever, and I followed this recipe exactly…couldn’t have enjoyed it more and that nearly 10 pound brisket was inhaled by our crowd of 16 (5 of whom were teenage boys who had just got home from swim practice). I’m oh so glad I found this delicious recipe and the suggested side of Lipton onion soup potatoes. Super easy way to serve a crowd with little prep on the day of the dinner. Love, Love, Love this recipe! Thanks, Mila, for sharing!!

  36. Hi, if I plan on freezing the brisket, do I cut it before freezing or before oven-cooking following freezer period?

    Thanks 🙂 Looking forward to try it out

    1. You can do it either or! But since you are putting t straight into the oven from the freezer I would say before freezing 🙂

  37. Read all reviews – this sounds so good – one question – when to put on salt and pepper?
    Going to make this for Thanksgiving. Thanks!

      1. Hi Mila,
        Your brisket is cooling in my refrigerator as I type. It looks deliscious but I find the sauce a little too ketchup-y/sweet. Any suggestions on how I might doctor it a bit?

  38. Mila, I love your recipe. I did it last year. Fortunaly I found it again for this year. What kind of sauce do you recommend for reheat? Thank you.

    1. The sauce is the part in the pan. What you marinaded the brisket in plus the red wine equals an amazing glorious sauce 🙂

  39. I have just completed making your fabulous brisket for a family party tomorrow. All cut and ready to reheat. I removed the vegetables as some in my family might not apppreciate them (as I do). I puréed them and it is quite a lot. I am worried that I might not have enough actual gravy. What if I thinned the puréed veggies with some chicken broth to add to the gravy that the brisket is going to reheat in?

      1. It worked out very well. The brisket was truly melt in your mouth as promised. Received request for the recipe too.

  40. Hi, Mila: I think I am going to love your site based on the awesome looking brisket! I haven’t had a chance to look around at the site, because I am obsessed with this brisket recipe! I’ve been searching for a recipe for an important dinner for about 10-12 people. The ability to make this in advance is a major plus as I really won’t have a lot of time at the last minute. I’ve read the recipe over many times and I have a few (easy) questions:
    – You mentioned leaving the fat on and to cook fat side up – I totally get that, but the picture you posted is of a VERY clean tri-tip. When I buy it, one side is covered in a thick fat layer. Should I take some fat off before starting? Also, I’d probably like to trim some of that fat layer off after cooking but before slicing. Would that cause the brisket to fall apart when slicing?
    – Recipe mentions using 6 large carrots – is that enough for all the people your recipe feeds? It seems like you’d need a lot more carrots.
    – If the carrots are intended to be used as a side dish to the brisket, regardless of the amount used, can they be cooked for 6-7 hrs – wouldn’t they be cooked to mush? That would be fine if one intended to puree the sauce. But as a side, should they be cooked so long?
    – You mentioned making the Lipton Onion Soup recipe for potatoes to use as a side. They cook at a different oven temp than is required for reheating the brisket. Do you make the potatoes in advance and reheat at the same time as the roast?
    Sorry for all the questions, but as I said, this is an important dinner and I’d like to serve a great meal. I appreciate any help you can provide. THANKS so much for sharing a recipe that so many people consider to be a winner!!!!

  41. This recipe looks so great I can’t wait to try it. I’d like to serve it for an important dinner I am having in 3 weeks. I have a couple of questions and I hope you’ll have time to answer.
    1. Brisket usually comes with a large fat cap. You mentioned leaving the fat on the brisket to cook fat side up, but the picture you posted shows a very lean brisket. I’ll leave it on, but I do want to trim some before I slice. Agree?
    2. I want to serve the carrots with the brisket. It doesn’t seem that the chunks of carrots will stand up to that long cooking and reheating time. Should the carrots be added later if you don’t intend to puree the veggies?
    3. I’d also like to serve potatoes – you mentioned the Lipton onion soup potatoes – I love those too, but they can’t be part of the make-ahead brisket. Have you ever prepared potatoes that can be cooked with the brisket?
    Thank you so much!

    1. 1. Yes feel free to trim a bit if you like 🙂
      2. You really need them for flavor while cooking. I would add some more later as well 😉
      3. You can make potatoes ahead of time… even the Lipton, then just reheat 😉

  42. Hi! Have you tried this recipe with a slow cooker? If you have, do the instructions change at all? Thanks!

    1. Hi! No I have not because the flavors seem to mute out in a slow cooker. I would try cooking them for the same amount of them and see how it goes. Good luck!

  43. Do you freeze the cooked, sliced brisket in the sauce with the cooked vegetables?
    And do you reheat with the cooked vegetables as well?
    Also, do you reheat directly from the freezer? If not, what is the defrosting procedure?
    Thanks.

    1. Yes I freeze is sliced with the sauce. I place everything into the oven and reheat it slowly at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until it comes to 160 degrees.

  44. Hello…I want to try briscuit for next Saturday’s Passover! Yours looks delish. Question: can you tell me what brand of wine you used? And what kind?
    Thanks!
    Betsy

    1. I can’t even remember! I always use a pleasant red wine. It really will not matter what kind as long as it is not too sweet. If you want to drink it..then it’s perfect to cook with.

      1. Hi Mila! I just made this brisket yesterday, refrigerated over night, cut it up today and placed back in the fridge for dinner tomorrow night. Will it be okay in the fridge overnight or would you freeze overnight? Thanks!

  45. Hi Mika! Since this is an old post I’m not certain you will see it today but I hope you do! I’m making this for the first time for Seder tomorrow night. I just noticed it needs to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, which I don’t have at this point. Do you think it will come out just as good without the marinate time?

  46. Thank you!! You saved me. I was so nervous to make a brisket but this was melt-in-your mouth delicious!!
    And the best tip was refrigerating overnight to skim the fat. I have never been able to remove the fat from a gravy – now I know the secret.

  47. Hi Mila,

    What are the reheating instructions if you go straight from the refrigerator cooldown/ fat removal/ slicing phase, to heating and serving? (Skipping the freezer.) Would 350 be too high or still okay?

    Thanks so much!

    Leila

  48. Hi Mila,
    Have made many a brisket and several different kinds. For Rosh Hashana next week I’m making this tomorrow. It’s the first time I’m doing a kosher brisket (1st cut but still has fat on it) and for a lot of people. I have an 8 lb and a 6lb brisket? Can i cook them in the same oven and maybe halfway through switch their places? From top rack to bottom rack? I have two ovens but one is a bit hotter than the other? Which would you suggest? Also, I’ve been told the Kosher briskets are naturally saltier? Myth or fact??
    Thanks so much!

    1. Yes kosher brisket is saltier. You can definitely cook them in the same oven! I would not rotate them but instead I would flip the brisket in the pan! Good luck!

  49. This was the best brisket I have ever made. So tender and juicy. My son who normally does not like brisket is now a believer after this recipe.

  50. Mila, thanks for the recipe! My mother made this for my wedding luncheon two years ago, and I made it yesterday for a college society dinner. Delicious, I skipped the red wine and put in a bit of Worcestershire.

  51. Did you freeze the carrots.? Are they still good upon thawing?
    I think I”make ahead for Christmas. Sounds delicious.

  52. Accidentally marinated my 21lbs of brisket WITH the wine for 24hrs! I marinated it in all the ingredients instead of waiting to add the wine.
    What now!?!

    1. Sorry this was in my junk!!!! Next time please feel free to email me with questions and i will get to it Immediately!!!!! Hope it turned out K!

  53. Just sliced my brisket, and about to freeze it. But mine has so much liquid. Do I take out the carrots and onions before freezing them? Also should I put the onion and carrots in the blender and make a sauce/ gravy? This is the first time I and making a brisket. Thanks in advance

    1. Cath my apologies I was out of town and was not answering comments. You can just reheat everything together and then puree it once it’s warm.

  54. I just came across this recipe which looks great! I rarely make meat and have never made a brisket so this is new for me! I have a small 3.5 lb second cut brisket- would this recipe still work? I’m assuming I should halve the ingredients, but how should I adjust the cooking time?

    Thank you!

  55. I have made this brisket before and love it! I am confused though as you say cook time is 8 hours, but your recipe says To cook 3-4 hours. And you mention a hour a pound- your brisket is 7-8 pounds, so how can it only be 3-4 hours? Also, I thought I cooked it in a lower heat oven, but yours says 350. Please clarify. Thanks so much!

  56. 1,000 thumbs up to this recipe! You absolutely nailed it — it’s perfect! Wondering if you have an internal temp that you shoot for? I went to about 185-190 and thought it came out perfect after letting it rest, then refrigerating overnight, then reheating for dinner.

  57. Hi! I’m going to cook brisket in the ip. What kind of red wine do you use? I can’t wait to see what my result will be tonight! Thanks!

  58. How do you freeze it ahead of time? Do you freeze it and then defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat? And, if so, does it become dry or is there something I should do to keep it moist?

  59. My first try at making a brisket and it came out wonderful.
    It make great sandwiches to take to work
    I will definitely make this again and share your recipie
    I have printed off several copies.
    thank you

  60. I am so very excited to try this recipe and I really appreciate the step-by-step pictures and descriptions. I do not need to freeze in advance, but I can. Which method do you prefer if there is an option? Also, is there a special way of wrapping the the roast for best freezing outcome? Thank you!

  61. Hi! I would love to see the instant pot version of this recipe, but the site won’t load and repeatedly has the CCPA warniing “Do not sell my personal information”. Thanks for your help!

  62. The smallest brisket I could find was 10lb. How long should I cook a 10lb? Also how much extra of the ingredients for the sauce should I add?

    1. I would cook for the same amount of time and just add almost double the ingredients…it truly will not effect the flavor. But you will have more yummy sauce!

  63. Thanks for the recipe. I always use recipes as a guide rather than following them strictly, but somehow throughout the process of making my first brisket EVER, mine looked identical to your pictures. I used barbecue sauce instead of ketchup to sort of bridge the Texas and Jewish style, so I call my brisket the Kinky Friedman. Thanks again.

  64. When it comes time to reheat at 350, do I put it in the oven straight from the freezer frozen? Or do I let it thaw and then pop it in the 350 oven to reheat?

  65. Every year I can’t remember where I found this recipe and I have to ransack the internet using search terms like ketchup, freezer, Ashkenazi, and Russian (all the words that I remember from the fun story about it), and then I find it, and then I make one for Thanksgiving, because turkey is meh. This is like the fifth or sixth time I’ve come back to it. It is probably the recipe on the internet that I’ve made the most times. People RAVE it. And the leftovers are the best. Thanks for this great recipe!

  66. Hi – I made this most delicious brisket for Chanukah in Dec. and it was an absolute hit! Thank you for helping a beginner chef to make such a delicious main dish. I am interested in making this again for Peach, but am a bit confused as to the protocol as there are several different methods in the comments. 1. – Slice pre-freezing or freeze whole and then slice? 2. – Go straight from freezer to oven and if so, what is the temp and time required, OR thaw first in freezer and then put in oven once thawed. Thank you!!!

    1. It does not matter which way it’s a matter of preference. I just happen to like slicing it cold because it stays together better. You can stick it into the oven right from the freezer 🙂

      1. One last question – I have read through all the notes and I am still confused as to how long from freezer to table it should take with no extra thawing time indicated. Unless I’m missing something it seems that the temp and the time isn’t different in this recipe whether the brisket is going from freezer to oven or refrigerator to oven?

  67. Mila, I love your brisket and have been making it the past several years ahead of time and freezing it, as you suggested. Since I usually only make it once a year, I always come back to your website to reread it. Have you changed it from “low and slow” in a 275 oven for an hour per pound to the current 350 or it that a mistake? I did mine the low and slow method as it has always worked, but was curious as to why it is now 350. I LOVE the make ahead ease of this at a busy holiday time.and thank you so much :). Happy Passover to you and your family!!!

    1. So glad it is a favorite! You can go low and slow at 275 just to be safe. But 350 will work just as well but faster

  68. Hi,

    I printed out your recipe last year in order to prepare it for this years Passover. On my print out from last year you said to bake it at 275 degrees. But after returning to your sight for a refresher it now says 350 degrees . What do you recommend to bake a 4 pound brisket? Thanks so much and it sounds delicious!

  69. Mila,
    This was so delicious. I did exactly as you said and froze it so I could cook it on a Easter Sunday. The only thing I’d like others to know is that, it does, indeed, take around 2 hours as someone else noted. When I read that comment I decided to put it in an hour and a half before dinner and it was only at 65 degrees. Crying, hungry kids and stressed parents… please allow a lot longer than 45 minutes

    1. Laurie…I am so glad you liked it! I always say that ovens are very different and some cook quicker or slower.

    1. Reva, it really is going to depend on your oven as well as the brisket. I can tell you it will take a minimum of 4 hours. And for briskets that are that large I usually cut them in half and cook them in two different pans so they cook faster for you! Most important factor is the fork test. Once it is fork tender it is done!

  70. Hello Mila. Is cooking a ROLLED brisket prepared and cooked the same? Mine is 1.160kg. The recipe says to rub the marinade into every nook and cranny. Do i need to unroll it to do that? There are only two of us to cook for and not much freezer space to store for later. Also, rather than using ketchup can i use tomato paste instead? I love your recepies and they are so thoroughly explained. I have ‘killed’ any brisket i have ever tried to pepare and cook but i am going to give this my best shot.

  71. Hi Mila,
    This is the recipe I have been making for the last few years since I took over the holiday. My question is the timing for using a convection oven. How would that change? Thanks so much, everyone always loves it!

    1. Hi Becky! I am so glad it is so so loved:) Yes you can very easily do it convection (frankly you should always use convection as it just speeds everything up)

  72. hi there! I am making your brisket but confused about 1 thing. you say it needs to be cooked fat side up but you also say you flip it half way thru…. so if you flip it you are not cooking it fat side up which seemed important in your recipe. Please clarify thank u!

Leave a Reply